Experts Work Up to 3 Months (STEP)
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Experts Work Up to Three Months (Short Term Employment Process)
The Israeli PIBA (Population and Immigration Authority) published in 2015 the procedure for foreign experts for a temporary work period of up to three months. Under this category, as a prerequisite for submitting an application, the expert is required to present a certificate of education at an academic institution of higher education or relevant vocational training. The procedure has recently been updated in 2018, however no significant changes have been made concerning this visa category.
Israeli Hi-Tech companies are eligible to apply for short term permits underan expedited process/ For information on Hi-Tech visa options, please click here
The process of obtaining a B-1 work permit in the STEP category includes four separate bureaucratic steps:
- Submission of a detailed application for a Work Permit to the Work Permit Unit describing the project, the need for the expertise, conditions of employment, etc. The application must comply with the regulations and meet the strict requirements of the PIBA.
- Applying for a B-1 work visa at the local branch of the Ministry of Interior to be transferred for processing at the Israeli Consulate in the expert’s country of origin.
- The issuance of a temporary B-1 Work visa by the Israeli Consulate in the country of origin prior to entry to Israel.
- After the applicant’s entry into Israel, the applicant will be issued a B-1 work visa for the entire period of the work permit. This step will take place at the time the expert goes through border control at Ben Gurion Airport, or after entry, at the relevant branch of the Ministry of Interior.
The prevailing wage in this category is the minimum wage in Israel.
Such work permits are typically valid for a period of three months from the date of issuance by the Work Permit Unit, and the employer is not entitled to apply for an extension of the permit.
The initial work visa is valid only for a single entry, and therefore in the event that the expert may need to depart and re-enter Israel, the employer will have to apply for a return visa, also known as a “Multiple Entry Visa”.
As a general rule, foreign experts arriving in Israel for short periods of up to 90 days would not be allowed to apply for a visa for their immediate family members. However, if it is apparent that the foreign expert is coming to Israel to pursue a profession that requires high academic education, the authorities may consider permitting the issuance of visas for immediate family members.
Duration of process: 2-3 months.
Please note: Working in Israel for any period of time without a permit and B-1 visa in the foreign expert’s passport, is a criminal offense. If a foreign expert is found working without a valid permit and visa, the employer and managers can be given criminal penalties and fines, and the expert can be deported and barred for entry to Israel for 10 years.
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